Paul Simon Heneghan, Sr., Age 86 of Lynden, formerly of Seattle, died Aug. 22 in Lynden.
Paul was born at home July 27, 1936, to Simon and Delia (Ronayne) Heneghan, Irish immigrants, in Somerville, MA.
Paul was the youngest of six. He married Barbara Brady July 9, 1960, in Woodbridge, New Jersey.
Paul was active in the Navy from 1959-1965.
Paul and Barbara often joked that they lived in three states and had three children in three years.
After the Navy, Paul worked as an engineer for Pratt and Whitney Aircraft for 28 years and Lockheed Martin for six years. He earned an MBA from Seattle University in 1984.
Paul and Barbara enjoyed many activities together: spending time at their family cabin on Anderson Island, traveling, playing bridge, and entertaining friends.
Paul was an active member at the Swedish Club in Seattle where he recently served as president, often joking that an Irishman was president at the Swedish Club.
Paul had a strong Catholic faith and over the years was active in various Catholic parishes in the Puget Sound area and a member of the Knights of Columbus.
Paul moved to Lynden in 2019 and joined a Bible study group, book clubs, and enjoyed weekly bingo. He was proud of his Irish heritage and was blessed to be able to visit Ireland many times.
In retirement, Paul volunteered in many ways: at Swedish Club monthly pancake breakfasts, as an usher at theater and philharmonic performances, at Alzheimer walks, parish fundraising events, as an ombudsman/advocate for elderly residents, and as the longest patient in a clinical study for type II diabetes research. Paul and Barbara had been spending their winters in Cathedral City, California, before her death.
Paul lived at Mirabella in Seattle and at Meadow Greens in Lynden.
Paul is survived by his daughter Ann (Gary Spencer), sons Paul, Jr. (Mary), and John (Melissa), six grandchildren: Patrick (Amanda Roy), Amanda, Thomas (Kim), Matthew, Simon, and Delia, and four great-grandchildren: James, Logan, Madison, and August, and sisters-in-law Faith (Ellis) Heneghan, Jackie (Hevey) Heneghan, Mary (Doherty) Heneghan, and numerous nieces and nephews. Paul was preceded in death by his wife of 52 years, Barbara, and one granddaughter, Cathleen Ross, his sisters Mary and Theresa Heneghan, and brothers Richard and Thomas.
Paul’s brother, John, of Raymond, Maine, died eight days after Paul.
Funeral Mass will be 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 29 at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church in Seattle. Reception immediately following.
In lieu of flowers, should you wish, please consider a donation to the Barbara Brady Heneghan Alzheimer’s Endowed Research Fund at the University of Washington, Box 359505, Seattle, WA 98195.